High-pressure fluid-compressor.



No. 6s3,ss2. Patented nec. la., |900.

' N; A. CHRISTENSEN.

HIGH 'PRESSURE FLUIDl COMPRESSOR.

' (Application filed Sept. 9, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet L f s -om @wmmg No. 663,862. Patented Dec. I8, |900).

N. A. CHHISTENSEN.

HIGH PRESSURE FLUID COMPRESSOR.

(Application Aimled Sept. 9, 1899. (No Medel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 663,862. 4Patented Dec. I8, |900L N. vA.\I)HRISTENSEN.

HIGH PRESSURE FLUID COMPRESSOR. l

(Application illed. Sept. 9,- 1899.) (No Model.) 3 vSheats-'Shee'c 3.

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NIELS -ANTON OHRISTENSEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

HIGH-PRESSURE FLUID-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,862, dated December 18, 1900.

Application tiled September 9| 1899. Serial No. 729.957. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

. Beit known that I, NinLs ANTON OHRISTEN- SEN, aresident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofsWisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful High-Pressure Fluid-Compressor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to Huid-compressors; and its object is to provide a simple, efficient, and reliable compressor capable of compressing to a high degree in asingle stage for general purposes and particularly designed for torpedo service. The pressure required for such service is as high as two thousand five hundred pounds per square inch, and heretofore in order to obtain such high pressure it has been necessary not only to employheavy cumbersome machinery, but also to compress in several stages by different compressors before the required pressure could loe reached.

My invention comprises novel and advantageous arrangements, constructions, and operations of parts and a compact and mechanical construction as a whole affording the required strength, so as to compress to such high degree in one stage and with economy of power.

My machine or compressor is not limited to high-pressure compression, but is capable of and more particularly designed forsuch work.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my compressor combined with the motor; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation on line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, asectional elevation of one of the suction-valves and a portion of the cylinder Fig. 4., a sectional elevation on line 4.- of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 a sectional plan on line 5 of Fig. 4.

Myapparatus is preferably, though not necessarily, a combined motor and compressor, such as illustrated in my Patent No. 635,280, issued to me on October 17, 1899, for a combined pump and motor, in which are shown two single-acting pumps, Whereas the machine illustratedV in the present application has a series of three pumps or cylinders which may be operatedconjointly or any onel of which may be cut out independently of the.

other cylinders.

The features of my invention are not limited to the use of the plurality of compressors or cylinders, inasmuch as they may be employed in connection with a single cylinder having a motor combined directly therewith or not, as desired, nor limited to any particular source of power for driving the compressor.

The combined arrangement of compressor and motor and the series of three compression-cylinders will now be described as the preferable form of my present machine or apparatus without intention of limitation or restriction.

The main frame or compressor-casing 1 has a chamber 2, in which the main shaft 3 and other working parts of the compressor operate. This casing is provided with` journalboxes 4 for the shaft, either separate or integral with the casing, the shaft extending extraneous of the casing, where it is provided at one end with a large gear (not shown) incased in a gear-casing 6. This gear meshes with a pinion (not shown) mounted on the shaft 8 of an electric motor 9, whose base 10 preferably forms the top cover of the compressor-casing, thereby protecting the working parts contained therein. Obviously any other source of power may be used to drive the main shaft.

On the forward extension 1L of the main casing are formed or arranged, as shown, a series of three cylinders 11,12, and 13, in which travel pistons 14, connected by pitmen 15 with cranks 16 on the main shaft. The suction port or ports or passages 17 are located Ain each cylinder a certain distance fr-om the end of the cylinder traveled by the piston in such a way that after a certain amount of pressure has been reached in the cylinder the packing-ring of the piston will travel over and close such port or ports leading to the 'suction-valve and chamber before the piston -has reached the limit of its stroke. It is evident that one or a plurality of such ports may be used, although the plurality shown is preferred. The result obtained by this peculiar location of the suction port or ports Will be hereinaftermoreparticularlysetforth. Similar suction-valves are provided for the cylinders and are secured to the casing by bolts or otherwise. Each valve comprises a casing 18, having a passage 19 communicating with the port 17. This casing is provided With an outlet port or passage 20, which is preferably covered by a screen 21 and whose communi- IOO cation with passage 19 is normally closed by the hollow cylindrical-shaped suction-valve 22, resting on a seat 23 in the casing and capable of a sucient amount of lift therein. The sides of the valve 22 t somewhat snugly, but not air-tight, in the casing, so that under some conditions air may leak thereby, as hereinafter stated. Upon the upper end of the valve is mounted a safety-valve which comprises a casing 24, having a passage 25 communicating with the interior of the casing 18 and also having one or a plurality of ports or passages 26. The communication between the passage 25 and exhaust-ports 26 is governed bya preferably hollow cylindrical valve 27, which is movable within the casing 24 and normally held to its seat by a spring 28, bearing, respectively, against the closed end of the valve, and an adjusting-nut 29, screwing into the bore of the casing 24. A suitable cap-screw 30 screws into the top end of this casing to close said bore. The inner end of the casing 24 may be provided with one or more circular grooves 3]. A pin 32 projects from one end of the suction-valve into the passage 25. The function of the safety-valve is to permit the escape of any air that may leak through the discharge-valve (hereinafter described) into the cylinder withoutbringing an undue pressure against the thin wall of the working cylinder.

A discharge-valve 35 is located at the end of each cylinder, preferably centrally thereof, to govern the discharge-port, which communicates when the valve is open with the discharge-passage 34 in the back head, which is bolted, as hereinafter described, to the main casing or extension la. A hollow nut or cap 39 closes the opening in the head through which the valve is inserted.

Each discharge-passage 34 leads downward through the back head, where it has a nozzle 34, coupled to a gooseneck 40 underneath the extended part of the main casing and communicating with a cooling-coil 41, preferably of copper, located in a rectangular chamber, which is formed in the pu mp-base below chamber 2 vby the false bottom or partition 42. The forward end of the cooling-chamber is closed by three covers or plates 43, one for each cylinder and coil, which plates are bolted or otherwise secured to the casing or pump-base. The gooseneck and the inlet end of the copper coil are brazed or otherwise secured to the plate 43 and communicate with each other through a passage in the enlargement 45 on the plate. The outlet end of the coil leads to a suitable cut-out-valve device governed by the handles 58 and 6l and then leads to a discharge-pipe 47, common to all the dischargepassages.

' tion.

back head into a jacket 66 around the cylinders and also into the chamber in the pumpbase containing the cooling-coils, from which the water passes through an outlet 67. The operating parts of the com pressor in chamber 2 may work in oil or other suitable lubricant or even water. Said back head is bolted to the pum p-base or compressor-casing by means of bolts 68, extending into chamber 2 and having nuts 69 therein. Smaller cap-screws 70 may be used, passing through the head and screwing into said base.

By locating the suction-valve port or ports a certain distance from the end of the cylinder traversed by the piston the packing-ring of the piston will travel over and close such port or ports before the completion of its stroke, thereby eliminating-all the clearance in the suction-valve and its ports, and from there on there will be the clearance of only the discharge-valve, which can be made a Very small fractional part of a cubic inch in a comparatively large compressor. Of course a certain amount of pressure is created in the chamber and port of the suction-valve, but only to a-degree corresponding to the degree of pressure in the cylinder at the time when the piston reaches and closes the suctionvalve ports. Consequently the pressure in such chamber and ports is comparatively low and does not ligure as a material factor. Such arrangement makes it possible t -ompress to a very high pressure, and it is 01% necessary to keep the temperature down by using the proper kind of metal having high tensile strength and good conductivity, so as to radiate the heat away to a body of circulating water as fast as it is created by the compressor. The high'pressure is at the very last end of the compression-stroke at a point where the cylinder-wall is thick between the cylinder and the back'head. In case of a leak through the discharge-valve the pressure thus escaping into the cylinder is allowed to escape through the safety-valve above the suction-valve Without causing an undue pressure against the thin part of the wall of the working cylinder. Furthermore, by a single-stage compressor of this type l am enabled to provide one or more cylinders, all absolutelyindependent of each other, each cylinder having its own cooling-coil, its own cut-out Valve by which it may be cut out at any time, and each cylinder independent andirrespective of the remaining cylinders, whereby it is possible with this construction to examine or repair the suction and discharge ITO valves in all the cylinders While the compressor is working. This of course must be done by removing the suction-valve and closing the cut-out valve ofthe cylinder Whose fittings or parts it is intended to repair.

The safety-valve communicates with the cylinder on the cylinder side of the suctionvalve, and it is set to blow ol-f at a point belou7 that pressure normally created by the compressor and delivered through the discharge-valve. The safety-valve will not blow off at partial compression, but only at the same degree of pressure as occurs at the completion of the stroke, Wherefore any such high pressure rentering the cylinder through any possible leak in the discharge-valve will be exhausted through the safety-valve, so that thethinner cylinder-Walls will not be endangered. The safety-valve is thus set to blow off this high pressure. When the piston passes and closes the suction-port, the safetyvalve is cut off and obviously the pressure cannot blow off therethrough, although such safety-valve is set to a pressure below that created by the compressor after the piston thus passes the suction-port; but in case of a leak back into the cylinder of the high pressure from the delivery-pipe such high pressure will llow through the suction-port and blow off through the safety, Which is set for that purpose.

My machine as above constructed and operated is capable of meeting all conditions to which a machine for high pressure could be subjected. It is compact and light in construction, consistent With the necessary great strength required commensurate With the high pressure obtained. Moreover, the parts are simple in construction and operation and easy of examination and repair Without stoppage of all the compression-cylinders.

I do not herein claim the discharge-valve shown and described nor the cut-out valve nor the cooling arrangement, but the same are made the subject of divisional applications filed by me on December ll, 1899, the discharge-valve being described and claimed in divisional application Serial No. 739,898, the cut-out valve in application Serial No. 739,899, and the cooling arrangement in application Serial No. 789,900.

While my invention is shown herein as applied toa compressor of the single-acting type, it is apparentthat it is applicable to all kinds of compressors, thereby including the doubleacting type. Obviously in a double-acting compressor the suction and discharge ports are duplicated at the ends of the cylinder, and each end is alternatelya compression or discharge end, depending on the direction of stroke of the piston at any particular time, while the compression-stroke as to one end of the cylinder is the suction-stroke as to the other end.

1 claiml. In a compressor, the combination, with a cylinder having a suction-port and a discharge-port, means for closing such suctionport after partial compression but before complete compression and a safety-valve device communicating with said suction-port.

2. A compressor comprising acylinderhaving a piston and a valve-governed dischargeport and a valve-governed suction-port, said piston closing the suction-port from the compression or discharge end of the cylinder after its partial but before its complete compression-stroke and keeping that port closed at such complete stroke,and the suction-valve closing its port when the piston completes its suction-stroke.

3. A compressor comprising a cylinder having a piston and suction and discharge ports, the suction-port being so removed from the discharge end of the cylinder as to be closed by the piston after partial compression but before complete compression and kept closed thereby at complete compression.

Il. A compressor comprising a cylinder having a discharge-port at one end and a suctionport in the side wall comparatively near the same end and a piston traveling in the cylinder and adapted to pass and close the suction-port near the end of its compressionstroke to eliminate clearance, keeping such suction-port closed at the full compressionstroke and to open such suction-port near the beginning of the return stroke to admit fluid and practically prevent formation of a vacuum.

5. In a compressor, the combination of a piston, a cylinder therefor having a port to atmosphere which is closed by the piston after a partial but before a complete compression-stroke and a safety-valve device governing such port.

6. A compressor comprising a cylinder having a piston and a valve-governed suction port or passage and a valve-governed discharge-port, said suction-port being so located as to be closed by the piston before the completion of its compression-stroke, and a safety-valve communicating with the suction port or passage on the cylinder side of the suction-valve and set to blow off at apressure less than that delivered from the compressor.

7. A compressor comprising a cylinder having a piston and a valve-governed suction and discharge port, the suction-port being located in the side wall of the cylinder at such a distance from the end thereof that the piston closes said suction-port before the completion of its compression-stroke and a safety-valve device communicating with the suction-port on the cylinder side of its governing-valve.

8. In a compressor, a safety-valve device governing a port communicating With the compression-cylinder, such valve device being exposed to pressure of partial compression but not to that pressure finally delivered from the compressor.

9. A compressorcomprising a cylinder having a valve-governed discharge-port and a suction-port, a suction-valve for the suction- IIOV a suction-port, a suction-valve governing the suction-port and consisting of a casing provided with a chamber having a passage communicating with the suction-port and also having an air-inlet and an exhaust-port, a suction-valve governing the communication between the inlet and said passage to the suction-port and movable in said chamber but not fitting air-tight, a valve normally closing the exhaust-port against ordinary pressure, a casing for said last-named valve, a spring holding the same toits seat and means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

11. Asuction-valve and safety-valve therefor comprising a casing provided with a chamber communicating with the suction-port and with an air-inlet, a cylindrical suction-valve movable in said chamber to govern communication between said port and inlet but not fitted air-tight, a second casing secured in the first casing and having a passage communicating with said chamber above the valve and also having an exhaust-port, a spring-pressed valve closing communication between the passage and exhaust-port in said second casing.

12. A suction-valve and safety-valve in connection therewith comprising a casing 18 pro- .vided with a cham-ber and having a passage N IELS ANTON CHRISTENSEN.

Witnesses:

J. DADMUN, A. E. BALDWIN. 

